Truck driver arrested in series of 700 shootings on German highways over 5 years

BERLIN – German police have arrested a truck driver believed to be responsible for a series of more than 700 shootings on the country's highways over five years.

The Federal Criminal Police Office says the 57-year-old man was arrested on Sunday in western Germany and officers seized firearms. The office said the man, whose name was not released, was brought before a judge Monday and ordered held in custody pending formal charges.

Starting in mid-2008, shots were fired at trucks loaded with cars, other vehicles on the highway and buildings. Last November, authorities quadrupled a reward for information on the shootings to 100,000 euros ($131,000), saying that the assailant or assailants had started using more dangerous weapons.